ANF’s humane side lights up tribals’ lives in wild forests

Bharathi (name changed), 65, residing deep inside the forest in Mujekan in Chikkamagaluru district suffers from a suspected terminal disease. But now, she owes her well-being to the Anti-Naxal Force (ANF).

A few days ago, ANF personnel visited her house and handed over life-saving drugs they had purchased in Mangaluru to her. ANF personnel also ensured that empty jars and containers in the kitchen were replenished with foodgrains that would last for two weeks for the elderly woman.

“The lockdown would have further isolated and doubled the miseries of forest dwellers, in particular the members of tribal Malekudiya community. The ANF is reaching out to those in need as we know that the situation is not conducive” says ANF Commander Vikas Kumar.

Between their routine tasks, ANF personnel are co-ordinating with agencies to rush relief to the needy. Many homes of forest dwellers do not have a motorable road and can be approached only by foot.

The ANF personnel have distributed medicines and foodgrains to nearly 65 families residing in the forests in Chikkamagaluru, Udupi and Dakshina Kannada
districts.

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“The maximum number of beneficiaries are from Chikkamagaluru,” informs Karnataka Rajya Malekudiyara Sangha Organising Secretary Gangadhar Idu.

Gangadhar told DH that ANF was seeking the help of donors to fund the multiple surgeries of a cancer-stricken child from Idu village in Karkala taluk.

Sreedhar Idu, another office bearer of the Sangha, says the ANF, by counselling the tribals in these trying times, had won the trust of the forest dwellers.

Vikas Kumar says if they had not helped those in need, there would have been much chaos.

“Bharathi’s tears of gratitude conveyed everything to the ANF,” Gangadhar said.

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